Twelve Cork athletes will represent Special Olympics Ireland at Berlin Games this month

TWELVE athletes from Cork will travel as part of Team Ireland athletes representing Special Olympics Ireland in the 2023 Berlin World Summer Games.

Six of the coaching and management team will also represent the Munster Region at the World Games.

Cork Special Olympics badminton member Colm Monahan will play badminton in the German capital.

COPE Foundation’s Seamus O’Sullivan will play bocce and Thomas O’Herlihy, Sean Murphy, and Stephen O’Leary will play football in Berlin.

Sisters Trudy and Sarah Hyland will play golf. The sisters ply their trade at Cork Special Olympics Golf Club.

Kevin O’Connor and Pius O’Callaghan will also represent their country by playing golf.

The duo are members of the Copstown Special Olympics Golf Club.

Rhythmic gymnast Jennifer O’Halloran of Owenabue Special Olympics Club will compete in Berlin.

Cian Kelleher will compete in the kayaking event. He trains at Mallow United Special Olympics Club.

Swimmer Nicola Dwyer, of Mallow Marlins Special Olympics Club, will also compete in Berlin.

Eóin O Béara, Munster regional director, Special Olympics Ireland, said: “It is a huge honour in any athlete’s life to have the opportunity to compete at an international level.

“We know they will demonstrate the best of Special Olympics and we can’t wait to hear about their success both on and off the field.”

Six coaches from Munster are members of the Team Ireland coaching set-up.

Mike Forde is a golf coach, Declan O’Connell is involved with the kayaking side, Terry Higgins is involved with the swimming team, Kelly Fitzgerald is a gymnastics coach, while Mags Curtain is a badminton coach, and Emmet O’Toole is one of the basketball coaches.

“Without volunteers such as these, who are all coaches in their own local Special Olympics Clubs, we simply cannot run the programme and are very grateful to them,” he said.